About Outdoor Hounds
Outdoor Hounds started the way most good ideas probably don’t, but should: because of three dogs who refused to be satisfied with a lap around the block.
I’m Jenna, and I’ve spent the past ten years working with dogs in just about every capacity. Vet nursing taught me to read animals carefully and stay calm under pressure. Time in kennels showed me what dogs look like when they’re understimulated and what they look like when they’re genuinely thriving. Years of petsitting put me in people’s homes and showed me how much owners worry; and how much it matters to find someone you actually trust with your dog.
Through all of it, I had my own three. And they took me outside!
Meet the pack
Aura is five, a Swiss Shepherd, and the quiet heart of our hikes. Steady, focused, and completely obsessed with her ball.
Luca is four, a GSD x Husky, and constitutionally incapable of walking past something interesting without investigating it. He was the first one to show me what it looks like when a dog is truly in their element — nose down, moving through bush, completely alive.
Kali is two, a GSD x Border Collie, and an absolute handful in the best possible way. She has more energy than should be legal and will attempt to befriend every single dog on the trail. She’s the reason we always have snacks.
The three of them are regulars (usually singly or in pairs) on our weekend walks and occasional guests on our weekday hikes. You’ll know them when you see them.
Why Outdoor Hounds
I kept finding incredible trails – off the beaten track, through fern gullies and mountain ash forest and along creek lines that most people drive past their whole lives – and thinking: more dogs & people should experience this!
So I built something around it.
Outdoor Hounds runs two things: weekday pack hikes for high-energy dogs who need more than a suburban walk while their owners are at work, and weekend group adventures where owners and dogs explore eastern Melbourne together. Both are guided, and both are built around the belief that a well-exercised, well-socialised dog is a happier dog; and a happier household.
Every handler at Outdoor Hounds is first aid trained and experienced in dog behaviour and body language. We keep groups small on purpose. We choose trails carefully. We pay attention to every dog in our care, not just the ones making the most noise.
What we’re not
We’re not a dog walking service that loops the same park on repeat. We’re not a business that takes any dog regardless of fit. We’re not going to tell you your dog will be fine if we have concerns.
We’re also not precious about mud. Or rain. Or the particular chaos that happens when eight dogs discover a creek at the same time.
Come and find us on a Saturday or Sunday. Bring your dog, wear shoes you don’t mind getting dirty, and see what happens when a really good trail meets really good company.
Jenna, Aura, Luca, & Kali 🐾